18 Mar 2026
Sam Brodbeck
Money Editor
Good afternoon,
Britain’s property market is stuck in a rut. Prices are flat, stamp duty remains a major barrier to moving and the war in the Middle East is driving up mortgage rates just when borrowing costs had started to fall.
England’s prestigious commuter towns appear to be bearing the brunt of it, as Josh Kirby explains below. Another problem is the growing price gap between flats, especially in London, and bigger family homes. This is gumming up the market, leaving large numbers of people in unsuitable properties.
Despite house prices being practically static, it remains nigh on impossible for first-time buyers to get on the ladder without substantial gifts from their families. This is one of the key reasons I believe people are (or at least were, before war broke out) attracted to tax havens like Dubai.
In my column this week, I implore those indulging in some schadenfreude over the plight of expats to give it a rest. They should be asking why so many young people want to leave Britain in the first place.
Sam
In today’s edition
I can’t open a bank account because I’m ‘too rich’
State pensioners on course for a triple lock ‘double boost’
The 25 best funds for your Isa – picked by our experts
The commuter towns where house prices have fallen the most
Weybridge, Surrey is regarded as the perfect commuter town | Credit: Peter Lane/Alamy
Josh Kirby
The ring of affluent leafy suburbia surrounding London has a history of attracting hard-working commuters – and high house prices. But new figures show property values have begun to slip.
Weybridge, for example, a Surrey town which is known for being home to City workers and footballers, commanded an average property value of £827,283 in 2024. Just a year later, this had fallen by more than £175,000.
It’s the steepest fall of any commuter town within 60 miles of London, but it’s by no means the only location where prices have reduced. Even the city voted one of the best places to live in Britain suffered a 6.6pc property price drop over the same period.
Telegraph money tip
The 10 jobs that will thrive in the age of AI
While many employees are worried about new technology taking their jobs, AI is proving to be genuinely helpful in areas such as healthcare, teaching and, of course, the tech sector. From reducing admin for GPs to helping cybersecurity consultants track down hackers, AI is improving roles rather than simply replacing them. For anyone keen to future-proof their career for the long-term, these could be the jobs worth targeting.
Ask our experts
Mike Warburton
‘Will I get stung with capital gains tax if HMRC finds out I’m living at my girlfriend’s house?’
Charlene Young & Becky O’Connor
‘Could I divorce my wife then remarry her to save on pension tax?’
pensionsdoctor@telegraph.co.uk
Gary Rycroft
‘A review said my holiday home was infested. Can I claim defamation?’
Money Editor’s picks
I can’t open a bank account because I’m ‘too rich’
Columnist Neil Record discovers that the perception of wealth as an automatic red flag for fraud has become ingrained in our national culture.
Read more ➤
The ‘boring’ but lucrative businesses attracting career switchers
Forget joining the tech entrepreneurs – gardening and launderettes can also generate big money.
Read more ➤
‘I’ve been burnt after picking my own stocks. How can I invest for an early retirement?’
Rate My Portfolio: Molly, 32, is seeking expert advice on her ‘chaotic’ portfolio.
Read more ➤
a closer look
The 25 best funds for your Isa – picked by our experts
James Baxter-Derrington
Investment Editor
Amid jittery markets and a daunting array of choices, investors are faced with a near-impossible question: what to invest in?
Enter Telegraph 25, a list of our favourite investment funds, chosen with the aim of helping any investor – whether you’re just starting out or looking for your latest idea.
It includes a mixture of funds we believe will grow your money in the long run, some that provide income and some choice picks that we think offer an exciting opportunity.
Further Reading
‘I’ve never liked the ring my mother left me. Would it be terrible to sell it?’
Moral Money: our reader doesn’t want to dishonour her mother’s wishes. Email moralmoney@telegraph.co.uk to send in your financial dilemmas.
Read more ➤
Inside the ‘devastating’ decline in London’s flat market
Loss-making homes with sky-high service charges turn off a generation of buyers.
Read more ➤
How to make the most of your last full cash Isa allowance
A 40pc cut to the Isa cap is coming – here’s what to do now to maximise your savings.
Read more ➤
State pensioners on course for a triple lock ‘double boost’
Inflation surge triggered by the Iran war could see retirees benefit from two years of generous increases.
Read more ➤
‘They had us over a barrel’: The uphill battle to insure a home with a wood burner
Soaring premiums and tougher environmental rules price the middle-class out of heritage homes.
Read more ➤
Your consumer champion
‘Rental platform lost or sold £40,000 worth of my designer clothes’
Ruth Emery
Consumer Champion
Dear Ruth,
I arranged for My Wardrobe HQ, an online fashion platform, to rent out my collection of more than 50 items of designer clothes and accessories. But I was horrified to discover that it had lost 38 of them, and sold four without my permission. They are probably worth £40,000 in total, and have huge sentimental value – but all the company offered me at first was £1,000 in credit to use on its website.
Dear Reader,
I was shocked to read your letter, and have spent months investigating your case and trying to get My Wardrobe HQ to do the right thing. However, even though they have now upped their payment, what I discovered was even worse than I could have imagined, as my column reveals.
That’s it for this week. Make sure you get out and enjoy the weather – I’ll be down at the allotment on Sunday toasting the arrival of spring.
Until next time,
Sam Brodbeck – Money Editor
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